Thread: Corner House
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Old 09-10-2020, 08:50 AM   #4
Susie Cougar
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Originally Posted by CornerHouse View Post
Greetings Winnipesaukee Forum!

Corner House is indeed hanging in there! Lexi here.
Corner House was on a winter break in March from the 8th to 17th. We reopened to Curbside pickup only on Fridays & Saturday’s. Most staff members had already self quarantined prior to the requirement. That left myself in the front of house as well 3 in the kitchen. As friends collected unemployment & my kitchen staff disliked wearing masks, 2 more joined the unemployment front.
I hired a guest named Jaymie & then I went back to the kitchen. When we were permitted to open on the patio we did, then inside when permitted. I was the bartender. Then I was the Chef & bartender. However the bar was intermittently open upstairs due to not enough staff members. I hired over 8 youths (14-17) & they really saved the day. Someone actually took notice of how many youths I had & called the board of labor concerned they were working too many hours & days in a week. However, I’m proud to say, legal all summer with my youths! However, last February I let one youth clock out 2 minutes after 9pm & will be fined. Though, somehow, through the most difficult summer of my life, we were above board with our youths & Corner House made it through the summer, wearing smiles under our masks!
Friday & Saturday only continued as not enough staff members were willing to work or would stipulate they will only work outside. I should have had 10 servers & I had 4, 2 being under 18, therefore unable to touch alcohol. (170 seat restaurant, 2 stories) I would conveniently deliver your drink after making in those cases. Those over 18 that did work coincidentally already had full time jobs (library director at private school & logistics manager for a manufacturer). This is not how things should run obviously, though more would have been disappointed if Corner House were closed temporarily or permanently. Therefore I opened on the days I had enough workers to make it run which was always Friday & Saturday. It will continue with Friday & Saturday going into fall & winter. Live music & activities fueled Corner House in winter & they are not permissible inside at this time.

In an attempt to keep locals out of the grocery store I offered produce in bulk for guests. I would send out the price list, guests email me the order Thursday & the produce is delivered Saturday morning. I sorted it in the parking lot & loaded into your vehicle. I added a 20% house fee. That occurred from March to late July. Also 50lb bags of flour & meat on some occasions. I sold just over $10,000 worth of produce.
I offered a number of drive thru chicken BBQ’s as well. A previous owner Judy Coolidge would often feature a chicken BBQ. The closed off inside offered the perfect opportunity for me to offer this historic event. Jeff O’Neil & John Hall built the pit & helped extensively to make these historic & fun BBQ’s happen!

I feel 60% of guests were very understanding to the pandemic & the restaurant situations. Most locals as well. Though 40% or perhaps toward the end of the summer guests were less understanding. With regard to questioning if places are open or why not answering the phone. I personally found that you sometimes couldn’t always get to the phone. One day I burned 3 pans of jasmine rice over answering the phone & I can’t imagine how many calls I missed that didn’t leave a voicemail when I was downstairs in the walk-in getting food to prep in order to literally open the doors later. Though the reality is I was willing to pay someone to answer it, manage it etc & no one would come. The sole proprietor owners like myself, have very full plates & we are sorry if we disappointed you this summer in any way. This is also not over, in a way, the most difficult part is just ahead, a slow winter paired with COVID.

Thank you for taking the time to read. You are welcome to patronize Corner House via curbside pick up or place a reservation if interested. We also offer Dockside Delivery on Squam. Place your order by 4pm & we deliver to your dock or boat on Squam Lake via boat around 6pm.
www.cornerhouserestaurantandbar.com

I’ve updated google days & hours professionally, personally & called them yet new hours have not yet shown up. Apologies.

We are hiring!
Server 7.25 + gratuities
Friday Host/Curbside Coordinator 11 + gratuities
Line Cook 16-25 based on experience
Email Lexi@cornerhouseinn.com

Have a safe, short winter!

PS: Inn rooms have, all been converted into dining rooms from late 90’s, many people think we still offer overnight accommodations, alas
Welcome to the forum, Lexi! Congratulations on surviving such a tough first year in business. It sounds like you are doing many wonderful things.
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